FEATURE
Demonstration – AI develop 3D process simulations before implementation of the final palletization system to avoid risk and loss of production .
don ’ t necessarily need to be ringfenced with guards .”
But what type of robot can be used for palletizing ?
There are numerous models on the market today , but choosing the right one for a specific application is vital . The wrong choice could result in an inability to use the product line , resulting in loss of productivity and safety hazards .
Factors that impact choice include : > payload type , size and weight > the materials being used > throughput in terms of items per minute > portability – effectively , the ability to move the palletizer between lines
> the amount of floor space needed .
Common types of robots include :
Collaborative robots : easily configured to different stack patterns , they have a small footprint , are economical and are good for working in areas where people are present ( subject to the speed of the robot ). They can have a payload of up to 25kg , while hazardous manual handling of loads can be eliminated using palletizers and cobots .
Six-axis industrial robots : Flexible enough to carry out a wide range of tasks within the workspace , they have a good reach , high payload capacity and are speedy with a high throughput .
Gantry robots : These can have an even bigger payload than all other types of robots , with the ability to palletize almost anything that can be lifted by an overhead crane .
Safety is key , of course , so a risk assessment should be completed to ensure the environment around the cobot and the cobot itself is safe . A machine should only be put into production once the risks have been identified and reduced to an acceptable level .
But once safety and other concerns have been considered , how does a business know what looks like a good idea will work in practice ?
Applied Integration can develop 3D process simulations before implementation of the final system to avoid risk and loss of production .
And at its hi-tech demonstration centre , you can see the equipment in action for yourself .
Peter said : “ The aim of the demo centre is to show that with the appropriate deployment of the latest state-of-the-art technologies , you can effect a very efficient and effective process which will optimise your operation in terms of your productivity KPIs and minimise your cost .
“ This can be somewhere between 30 and 400 per cent productivity enhancement and typically a payback period , even in a high-end operation , of less than 12 months and in a worst case , one and a half years . There are big savings in time and money to be had .
“ Using any form of robotic technology , they are all potentially third-party products that need to be integrated to seamlessly operate .
“ If you don ’ t , what can happen is a vehicle arrives at a palletizer , the palletizer doesn ’ t recognise it and does nothing – clearly that ’ s not enhancing your productivity . We are saying OK , we ’ ve partnered with best-in-class technologies and we can show you exactly how your operation can look once we ’ ve automated it .
“ We ’ re essentially removing handling tasks that can be a source of error and inefficiency – we ’ ll streamline the whole thing . We ’ re not just providing the simulation of what it looks like – people can come to our site , look from the viewpoint and watch the whole operation in process with bits of technology we ’ re offering them . Palletizer , box erector , box packing , palletization with robots – cost-effective solutions , all seamlessly integrated .”
He added : “ Anybody that ’ s struggling on a packing line and wants more efficiency and to reduce footprint , we will go into their site and give an honest appraisal of what they can achieve with the palletizers – whether they need a robotic one , a fully industrial version or whether they can get by with a collaborative robot solution .
“ But the key point of the demo centre is – come and see for yourself .”
Applied Integration is a leading systems integrator , specialising in delivering the latest industry technologies with a focus on Industry 4.0 , Digitalisation , Internet of Things ( IoT ), Analytics , Big data / Cloud Technologies , Safety Critical Systems ( SIL1 , SIL2 , SIL3 ) and Robotics and Collaborative Robots ( Cobots ).
Founded in 2005 , AI has a dynamic , 50-plus strong engineering team with many years of combined experience .
Learn more at appliedintegration . co . uk
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